DATE= 12/12/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-224065
TITLE=FRANCE / CARLOS (L)
BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY
DATELINE=PARIS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ILICH RAMIREZ SANCHEZ, BETTER KNOWN AS THE TERRORIST
CARLOS, APPEARED IN PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME FRIDAY WHEN HE WENT
ON TRIAL FOR THE 1975 MURDER OF TWO FRENCH UNDERCOVER AGENTS AND
AN INFORMER. JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS.
TEXT: DESPITE BEING THE DEFENDANT IN A MURDER TRIAL, ILICH
RAMIREZ SANCHEZ WAS SMILING AND RELAXED WHEN HE APPEARED IN THE
PARIS COURT. HE TOOK IMMEDIATE CONTROL OF HIS OWN DEFENSE.
ASKED TO GIVE HIS NAME, AGE, AND PROFESSION, THE VENEZUELAN WHO
USED THE CODENAME CARLOS SAID HE IS "A PROFESSIONAL REVOLUTIONARY
IN THE LENINIST TRADITION." HE ADDED, "THE WORLD IS MY DOMAIN."
TALKING MUCH MORE THAN HIS DEFENSE LAWYERS, CARLOS OPTED TO USE
THE DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO VETO MEMBERS OF THE JURY RATHER THAN
HAVE HIS LAWYER SCRUTINIZE THE CHOICE. IN FRANCE, THE JURY IS
COMPOSED OF THREE JUDGES AND NINE ORDINARY CITIZENS.
CARLOS TURNED DOWN THREE WOMEN JURORS. IN THE END, THE ORDINARY
JURORS COMPRISED SIX WOMEN AND THREE MEN.
ALTHOUGH CARLOS IS LINKED TO A STRING OF TERRORIST ATTACKS,
MOSTLY IN THE 1970'S, PARTICULARLY HIS DARING HOSTAGE-TAKING OF
OIL MINISTERS IN VIENNA IN DECEMBER 1975, HIS TRIAL IN PARIS
CONCERNS JUST ONE INCIDENT.
THE HEARING IS A RETRIAL OF A CASE ALREADY HEARD IN HIS ABSENCE
IN 1992. HE IS ACCUSED OF KILLING TWO OFFICERS OF THE FRENCH
D-S-T COUNTER-ESPIONAGE SERVICE AND A LEBANESE INFORMER IN PARIS
IN JUNE 1975. HE HAS ALREADY BEEN SENTENCED TO LIFE
IMPRISONMENT, BUT NOW HAS THE CHANCE TO PRESENT A DEFENSE.
THE FIRST DAY OF THE CASE WAS TAKEN UP FIRST WITH CARLOS AND HIS
LAWYER ARGUING THAT HIS ARREST IN 1994 WAS ILLEGAL. CARLOS WAS
DRUGGED AND FLOWN OUT OF SUDAN TO PARIS IN A FRENCH MILITARY
AIRCRAFT WITH THE COLLUSION OF THE SUDANESE AUTHORITIES.
CARLOS ARGUED THAT THIS AMOUNTS TO A KIDNAPPING. HIS FRENCH
LAWYER SAID THE D-S-T AGENTS WHO DETAINED HIM IN THE SUDANESE
CAPITAL, KHARTOUM, WERE "POLITICAL POLICE." THIS DREW A PROTEST
FROM THE PROSECUTOR WHO SAID THEIR MISSION WAS A "NOBLE" ONE.
CARLOS ALSO PROTESTED THE PRESENCE OF LAWYERS FROM A FRENCH
ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING THE VICTIMS OF TERRORISM. IN AN OFTEN
RAMBLING SPEECH, HE SAID THE ASSOCIATION IS "ZIONIST" AND
"REVISIONIST".
CARLOS SAID HIS MAIN BATTLE IS AGAINST WHAT HE CALLED "AMERICAN
IMPERIALISM" AND THAT HE WAS A MILITANT FOR THE PALESTINIAN
CAUSE. DESCRIBING ZIONISM AS "A SORE ON HUMANITY," HE SAID THE
ZIONIST MOVEMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE DEATHS THAN THE ALLEGED
TERRORISTS FIGHTING IT. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/JWH
12-Dec-97 12:49 PM EST (1749 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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